CHALLENGE: Using Words

 "A woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water". 

~Eleanor Roosevelt

The last challenge for my 12 x 12 group was about using words on our art quilts. You can read about our 12 x 12 Challenge group here. I chose my favorite quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt, "A woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water".   

I began with white fabric that I used Jacquard's color magnet on by making a dot pattern with the pen. When I dyed the fabric with periwinkle dye, the dots become darker than the rest of the fabric. When you look at the piece about, you can see dime-sized dots throughout the background fabric.

I hand embroidered the outlines of the letters for the quote. My teacup and its flowers are machine appliquéd with some puff-paint accents. A fine China teacup usually is gold rimmed, so I thought it fitting, I trimmed the entire teacup, saucer, and handle with gold paint.

Finally outside of the quote's circle, I did a pattern of French knots. Inside of the circle I did a diamond hand-quilting pattern. One of the niftiest parts of this 12" x 12" quilt is the binding, it's the first binding I ever did that was entirely machine sewn with no handstitching needed.

Remnants
When school ended for the summer, I had such high hopes of catching up on my blog and my art in general...best laid plans...The first 10 days of summer vacation was spent in Phoenix helping my sister care-giving  my dear niece.  Sis and I are leaving this weekend for a second trip.  I decided that I would make a series of prayer flags for my niece that she could hang in her room.  This coupled with a friend going through a stem cell transplant put me into the pray flag making mode. Below is the first prayer flag:

Here is the beginning of the prayer flags at my friend's home awaiting his return at the end of the month.

 I also made three extra flags that will be on my Etsy store later this week.
Enjoy!
Kathy